Vehicle-wheel.



No. 856,367. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

c. A. EITTMAN. VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1,1905.

I'L'Ir I '[0 (LIZ whom, 715' 71mg/ concern: l

4such inner hub. The spokes S of the wheel UNTTET) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN A. vlt l'lTMAN, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONEJTOURTH 'l`O LEVlLltlQTT li; CURTIS AND ONE-FOURTH- TO JOHN WHITWORTH, OF

SANDUSKY. OlllO.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAX A. RITT- MAN, a citizen oi the United States, and a i resident of Sandusky, county of Erie, and Si' ate of Ohio,have invented a new and usei ful improvement in V ehicle-\Vl1eels, of which l the following is a specification, the principle of` the invention beine' herein explained and l thel best mode in whic I have contemplated l applying that principle so as to distinguish it `from other inventions.

My invention relates to wheels for vehicles 'and particularly to Wheels for vehicles such as automobiles and the like where it is desirable to obviate as nearly as possible all shocks and jars due to obstructions in the,

ath of the wheel. To this end it has been ound necessary in addition to the springs on which the vehicle-body may be mounted to make the wheel structure itself resilient. Such resiliency in the Wheel, as is well known, has been heretofore successfully obtained onlyY by the use of pneumatic tires, which are both cumbersome and expensive. My improved wheel then is designed to vsecure equal resiliency7 by other and superior means hereinafter fully -described and specifically set forth in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the followine description set forth in detail certain mec anism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used. y

ln said annexed drawing Figure 1 represents a vertical transverse cross-section of that portion. of a wheel involving my improved construction, a portion of su`ch construction appearing in elevation; Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same, a portion being cut away' on the line 2-2 .in Fig. 1 to better show the arrangement of certain internal parts.

As clearly shown in Fig. 1 of said drawing my improved wheel structure comprises es principal elements an inner hollow hub, H, to which the vehicle spindle A is attached in a manner presently to be set forth, and an outer hub-member K revolubly mounted on are mounted on this outer hub. To retain this outer hub K upon inner hub H the latter is provided with two'peripheral anges h, h.

threaded on such hub as indicated in Fig. 1.

Of these, flange Ah is formedintegral with hub H, while flange member h is screw- 5 5 A lock nut h2 serves to secure the lane h v when 4it is properly positioned. on the ub. The bearing between the tWohub members is preferably a ball bearing and to'this ende. 6o ball-race is formed by the introduction between hub-member K and anges h and h', respectively, of a ring h3 forming a-cone bearing surface and oppositely disposed thereto a ring h4 With'a concave bear-in surface. Be.- tween these two surfaces run t e balls h5..- The vehicle spindleA extends Vinto the central opening in inner hub H, bein supported L therein in two axle-boxes B, B. gFormed integral with each such aXle-box'am two o -l positely extending rods B B. slidab mounted in brackets H H' and H2 H. which project outwardly from hub H and the flangemember h respectively, each pair of brackets being likewise oppositely disposed. Fla emcmber 7L is positioned on hub H so that t e. two pair of brackets, 'one on each side of the hub-` are parallel. A key aon aXleAis adapted to retain the axle-boxes B fin such posi` tion that the rods B thereon, together With the brackets through which such rods slide,

are maintained in a vertical position. Obviously the saine result might be accomplished in a variety of ways, as b having. the end of the vehicle spindle an the corre- 85AV spending o'peniinr in the axle-box square or triangular, the dbject being simply to `prevent the rotation of the. inner hub-member H about the vehicle spindle and to maintain the rods B i'n a vertical position. 9o It is `thus evident that the axle-boxes B v and vehicle axle A are free to vibrate verti cally within the limits of the central opening in inner hub H. Sleeves b secured in the'V ends of vbrackets H and H2 provide bearings for the rods B as they thus vibrate, and also l revent their beine' disepgaged from thesbrackets H', H2. nterposed between the;.;j axle-boxes B and brackets H and H2.arj1i..y inclosin rods B are helical springs' B.2 B?` and B3 a. Theu per springs B? are sus.- pension springs an are suitably secured at their ends to the bracket and axle-box, reife, spectively; While the lower springs Biere l compression s rings.`

By virtue o the construction just describel :.1

a resilient'wheel but a over rough and uneven roads will be taken up by the springs B2, B3 as the vehicle spindle vibrates Within hub H.' The springs B2 B3 are so proportioned that the vehicle spindle normally lies above the center of the'opening in the inner hub, since the eect of passing over an obstruction will be to raise the wheel with reference to the spindle. By extending the brackets Hl H2, and by varying the strength of springs Bl B3, practicallv anv decree of resiliencv can be. ini-- v u C v parted to the wheel. My improved wheel structure, therefore, provides in eiieet not resilient axle, since it is the non-rotating hub-member H that is provided with springs.V The advantage of this arrangement is that the sliding rods B need not-bepivoted atL their points of attachment to`the wheel structure, since they are maintained constantly in a vertical posi tion, and hence the rigidity which is essential to a practical wheel is not sacrificed, while any degree oi resiliency is at the same time obtainable. i y

Having thus described my invention in detail, that which I particularly point out and distinctly claim, is:

1. In a vehicle wheel, the combination of a vehicle spindle provided with two guideinembers, an inner hub located between said Vguide-members, means exterior to said hub resiliently connecting the same with said spindle, and an outer hub revoiubly mounted upon said inner hub. i

2. V In av vehicle'wheel, the combination of -a vehicle spindle provi-ded with two spaced vertically disposed `duide-members, an inner hub located between said `guide-members and slidably mounted thereon, resilient means interposed between said spindle andthe portions ol' said inner hub mounted on said guide-members, and an outer hub revolubljT mounted upon said inner hub.

3. vIn a vehicle wheel, the combination of a vehiclespindle provided with vertically disposed guide-members, an inner hub sur .rounding said spindle and provided with radially extending,r arms bearing lateral projections at their ends, respectively, such pro jefctions being slidably mounted upon said guide-members, resilient means interposed between'said spindle and said inner hub, and'I an outer hub revolubly mounted upon said inner hub. Y

4. In a vehicle wheel, the combination of a vehicle spindle, an.inner hub surrounding the same and provided with projecting brackets, resilient means interposed between said spindle and said brackets and an-outer hub revolubly mounted upon saidinn'er hub.

5. In-a vehicle \vheel,.the combination of a vehicle spindle, an inner hub surroundinv said spindle and vertically movable wit reference thereto, said inner hubr being' 'provided with projecting brackets, resilient slidably mounted means interposed between said spindle-j an`df` said bmckets and an outer hub revolu'bli" mounted upon said inner hub.

6. In a vehicle wheel, the combination 'ot a;

vehicle spindle provided with two spaced vertically disposed guide-members, an inner hub surrounding said spindle between said guide-members and provided with' brackets slidably lmounted thereon, resilient means interposed between said spindle and said brackets, and an outer hub rcvolubly mounted upon said inner hub.

'7. In a vehicle wheel, the combination or" a and adapted between said. aXle-boX and said inner hub`,"'

and an outer hub said inner hub.

9. In a vehicle wheel, the combination of an axle-box provided with oppositely disposed guide-members and adapted to be secured on a vehicle spindle so as to maintain said guide-members vertical, an inner hub on said1 guide members, resilient means interposed between said axlebox and said inner hub, and an outer hub revolubly mounted upon said inner hub.

10. In a vehicle wheel, the combination of an axle-box comprising?r two parts each prorevoliibly mounted upon vided with oppositelv disposed guide-men.

bers and adapted to be secured on a vehicle spindle so as to maintain said guidemiembers vertical, an inner hub slide-bly mounted on said guide members,resilient` means inter- Vosed between said axle-,box and said inner iiub, and an outer hub revolubly mounted upon said inner hub.A l

` 11. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a vehicle spindle, of an inner hub having projecting brackets, an axle-box adapted to receive and be keyed` to said vehicle spindle and rov-ided with oppositely,disposed rods slidaiily mounted in said brackets, resilient members interposed between said axle-box and said brackets, and an outer hub revo-v lubly mounted on said inner hub.

l2. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a vehicle s indle, of an inner hub having prcjecting vbrac (ets, anaxle-box adapted to receive and be keved to said vehicle s )indle and rovided with oppositely disposed rods slidaiily mounted in said brackets, s rin fs interposed between said axle-box an( said brackets, and an outer hub revolubly mounted on said inner hub.

13. In a vehicle wheel, the combination IIO .vided with vertically disposed rods slidably Ybrackets, two axle-boxes eyedl to said ve- I hicle spindle and respectively provided with 15 a pair of vertically disposed rods adapted to be slidablT mounted in the corresponding pair of brackets, helical springs moiinte'd on said rods between said axle-boxes and said brackets, and an outer hub revolubly mountzo Wltn a Vehicle spindle, of an inner hubv having a pair of oppositelT disposed brackets on each side, two separate axle-boxes keyed to said vehicle spindle and ArespectivelT proinounted in said brackets, resilient members interposed between said axle-boxes and said ed upon said inner hub: brackets, and an outer hub revolubly mount- Signed by. ine this 28th day of August, v ed on said inner hub. 1905.

14. In a Vehicle wheel, the coinbination with a vehicle spindle, of an inner hub composed of two separable members each proi vided with a -pair of op ositely disposedl CHRISTIAN A. RITTMAN Attested by:

MARY E. CLOSE, A. C, OLosE. 

